Eadie, Betty J. (1941– ) Through her best-selling book, Embraced by the Light (1992), Betty J. Eadie is best known for helping to popularize the notion that near-death experiences—whereby people who have clinically died and then been resuscitated report seeing images of the afterlife—are real experiences. She said she was inspired to write this book after having a near-death experience herself, when, in November 1973, her heart briefly stopped after routine surgery. During this event, she believes she traveled to a place of light, where she met Jesus. Certain the place was heaven, Eadie decided to find out whether others who had been through near-death episodes had seen what she had. To this end, she participated in a university study on near-death experiences, studied both human psychology and hypnosis, and volunteered to work with the dying. From talking to dying patients and others, she developed a collection of stories about near-death experiences that formed the basis of Embraced by the Light. By the time the book was published, Eadie had opened her own hypnotherapy clinic and had embarked on an examination of whether there is a connection between the subconscious mind and the near-death experience. However, she abandoned her clinic work after the popularity of her book led to numerous speaking engagements. Eadie continues to lecture, to collect stories of near-death experiences, and to write. She has published two other books: a sequel to Embraced by the Light titled The Awakening Heart, in which Eadie further reports on near-death experiences; and The Ripple Effect, in which she discusses the effect that one person’s acts can have on others.

SEE ALSO:

• altered state of consciousness;
• hypnosis;
• near-death experiences

SOURCE:

The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Paranormal Phenomena – written by Patricia D. Netzley © 2006 Gale, a part of Cengage Learning